As the fifth episode of The Bear kicks off, Sydney, played by Ayo Edebiri, is jolted awake by the rumble of a passing train outside her home. Her mind wanders to thoughts of culinary perfection and the recent rejection of her loan application by Greater Chicago Banking. Rising from her bed, she pops a few pills as she prepares for the challenges of the day ahead.
Boxes labeled "Sheridan Road Catering" catch her eye, and she accidentally stirs her father from his slumber as she sneaks out. Upon arriving at the restaurant, she finds Carmy, portrayed by Jeremy Allen White, already immersed in work. He's poring over her COGS, agreeing that the evening shift's check averages are suffering. The prices are too low, barely covering labor costs, and they both recognize the need for a fresh dinner menu.
Sydney muses about incorporating a tongue-in-cheek play on words for the new dishes. Suddenly, Marcus (Lionel Boyce) interrupts their discussion with tales of a wild book he's reading. As he prepares to fire up the oven for cakes, he grabs a piece of tape, prompting Carmy to gently correct him, insisting on using scissors for a clean cut.
An unexpected commotion erupts from the bathroom. Carmy investigates, only to find himself faced with a surprise spray of water. Sydney suggests closing for lunch to deal with the mess, but Carmy insists they can't afford to miss a service. He calls on Fak (Matty Matheson) to come and fix the toilet while Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) enters the fray, quickly catching up on the situation.
Carmy gathers Tina (Liza Colon-Zayas), Sydney, and Ebra (Edwin Lee Gibson) in the kitchen to brainstorm the new menu. Marcus is assigned dessert duties while the others tackle the unsavory task of cleaning up the bathroom mess.
In the kitchen, Carmy demonstrates the preparation of the new dish to Ebra and the others. Once he's finished, Tina offers her approval, praising the dish's quality. Just then, Fak arrives to tackle the troublesome toilet. Richie offers advice, warning Fak not to strip the threads, but his sarcastic remarks only serve to irritate the repairman. Fak retaliates with a quip about Richie's supposed role in human resources, much to Richie's chagrin.
Meanwhile, Chester (Carmen Christopher) joins Marcus in exploring the art of lacto-fermentation. Marcus enquires about obtaining a sous vide bag for the fermentation process, sparking a new line of experimentation in the kitchen.
They are at a loss regarding how to seal it, yet they harbor the potential to learn. Chester inquires of Marcus whether he ought to reserve Bachelorette for his entertainment tonight. Marcus cautions him not to squander the opportunity this time around, recalling that he had disclosed every intricate detail of the previous episode. Carmen informs the others that they have a mere two hours before the service begins. He inspects Tina's progress and offers her sage advice, subsequently inquiring about the origin of a certain piece Michael had crafted for her. She reminisces about Christmas at his mother's abode, where the food was exceptional but the atmosphere was anything but serene.
Fak confides in Richie that he has graduated from high school. Richie quizzes him on what he intends to contribute to The Beef as a fresh recruit. After fumbling and admitting to his nervousness, Fak professes that he possesses heart. Richie, however, remains unconvinced, doubting Fak's proficiency on the keyboard and branding him as a liability. Fak attempts to assure him that he brings a unique energy to the mix, but Richie scoffs, telling him to forget about his所谓的"vibe." The conversation escalates, with Richie challenging Fak to a confrontation in the dining area, pinning him down. Carmen intervenes, splashing water on them to disperse the altercation.
In the aftermath, Fak reveals to Richie that the latter is peddling cocaine in a secluded alley behind The Beef. Meanwhile, Marcus and Sydney are seen engrossed in their culinary creations, only to be interrupted by a malfunctioning mixer. Richie assures Carmy that he is not deeply involved in such dealings; rather, he dabbles in it occasionally to assist his brother's restaurant, an idea that was not his own. He explains that it was this side hustle that helped them survive the COVID crisis. Carmen argues vehemently that Richie should report the matter to the police, but Richie dismisses him as naive.
The conversation turns increasingly tense as Carmen insists that they have severed ties with Nico, whom Richie insists is unrelated to his current predicament. Richie warns Carmen against overreacting, lest they lose power completely. They proceed to survey the restaurant, assessing which rooms are operational and which are not. It appears that the kitchen is the only functional area. Fak blames the condenser for the issues and boasts of having a contact who can fix it, while Carmy directs the staff to relocate their belongings outdoors. Carmen contacts Pete (Chris Witaske) to inquire about using his freezers, and Pete agrees promptly. Natalie (Abby Elliott) joins them, promptly complaining about Pete's decision to lend them the cooler without her consent.
She sternly reminded them of the loss of her brother, a poignant memory that preceded Richie and Pete's casual chatter about the Chicago Cubs. Away from the commotion, Natalie lambasted Carmy, calling him a bitch for reaching out to Pete instead of her. He retorted that she always had something snide to say whenever he called. She reminded him that he had never responded to her regarding that matter. He was accused of exploiting Pete, though Carmy insisted that he now had a soft spot for him. Carmen confessed that he had indeed attended the event and now frequented it three times a week. They hugged, burying their differences, and agreed to resume their feud the next day.
Inside the restaurant, the clock ticked down to the start of service, leaving them with just one hour to prepare. Sydney frantically searched for a way to preserve the food until they could serve it. Tina was pessimistic, doubting they could even open since Fak couldn't get the stoves to ignite. Sydney inquired if the construction across the street was still ongoing. They quickly grabbed cinder blocks and improvised a makeshift grill outdoors.
When Richie and Carmy returned, they were informed that the gas line and power were still out, forcing them to host an outdoor lunch service. Carmen stepped out for a smoke and found Marcus sitting alone, lost in thought. He confessed to Carmen that he had made a mistake when he fell behind on the cakes. Trying to speed things up, he had accidentally blown the fuse. Carmen gently reminded him that it was crucial to stay ahead of the curve. Marcus revealed that his first job was at McDonald's, where creativity was nonexistent. He promised it wouldn't happen again, but Carmen knew it was inevitable as accidents were bound to occur. He recalled starting a fryer fire the night after being named Food & Wine's Best New Chef, feeling a fleeting moment of liberation thinking that if he let it all burn, his anxieties would disappear. But he had quickly extinguished the fire.
Fak informed Carmy that the repairs would cost $5,500 and he didn't have a reliable connection to get the parts. Carmen realized he would have to broach the subject of money with Richie. Richie hesitated, saying he needed to think about it, but Carmen insisted that it was a one-time thing; they couldn't afford any more mishaps. Fak emphasized the urgency, explaining that the fridge wouldn't function without the condenser. Richie joked, asking Fak to say "Matae" as a sign of his victory. Carmy chimed in, urging him to say it too. Fak complied, and Richie grudgingly agreed, making it clear it was the last time. Suddenly, the power returned, a beacon of hope in the midst of chaos.
Later, Carmen praised Sydney for her resilience today, noting that the energy reminded her of catering. Sydney confessed that it had grown too quickly, and they lacked the liquidity to sustain a brick-and-mortar establishment.
Operating her business from her garage was a reckless decision, and it ultimately led to the ruin of her credit. For the first time, she found herself without a psychopath shouting orders at her back, a situation she had once dreamed of escaping. However, she now realized that the path she had chosen was not as desirable as she had imagined.
Marcus, her trusted assistant, was a godsend. He diligently cut lengths of tape to label the containers used for fermentation, ensuring that everything was in order. As the evening drew to a close, Sydney awoke from her slumber and took out her notebook. She began to scribble thoughts about food, her mind still filled with the aroma of the day's work.
